


You Have The Courage

by WeAllFlyHigh



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Deals with the Fae, F/M, Fae & Fairies, Human AU, Not Beta Read, abductions by fae, lyrics are quoted not listed, nothing is ever beta read, romance not the focus, sibling relationships, song fic in vague terms
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-06
Updated: 2020-05-06
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:34:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24032089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WeAllFlyHigh/pseuds/WeAllFlyHigh
Summary: The Woods was a dangerous place, no one knew that like Mathew, but he will break all the rules for a chance at saving his brother.Technically a song fic to Faerie Queen by Heather Alexander.
Relationships: Canada/Ukraine (Hetalia)
Kudos: 10





	You Have The Courage

The Woods was a dangerous place. It had always been. Mathew hadn’t intended to ever cross through them and if there had been any other way, he wouldn’t have. But he could not stand by and let a child die. So here he was.

The journey home was a long one. His usual route was still flooded from two days of heavy rain. His only hope to get home before dark was the path through The Woods. He left when the sun was high in the sky. He should have had plenty of time. He followed all the practices for safe travel. He kept his eyes forward. He did not pause at the flowers or linger in patches of sunlight. He did not look behind him when he heard strange noises.

And now he was surrounded by darkness and, as far as he could tell, far from home. He was terrified. The Woods devoured people. Even his horse, who was usually too old to be bothered by human concerns, was skittish. It pulled at his reigns and shook its head. It wanted to run, to flee as fast as possible. He wanted the same. But these woods were seldom traveled, and he couldn’t see more than a few steps ahead. If they ran, they would fall, and if they fell, they would never be seen again.

He could not let The Woods take him. There were simply too many people who would miss him. First among them was Katyusha. She always waited up for him. The whole house would fill with the smell of her cooking by the time he walked through the door. Many people had congratulated him at their wedding saying that he’d eat like a king for the rest of his life. Her bread in particular was legendary.

It was a good life and one he had worked hard for.

His horse noticed the danger first. Its ears began to twitch. It pulled harder at the reigns. It tossed its head. The saddle sirups groaned as he lifted himself forward to stroke its neck. He murmured reassurances. The horse skittered to the side of the path. Then he reared with a cry.

Mathew clung to the reins, but his foot slipped. He was thrown into the air. He saw stars. He groaned and rolled onto his knees. They ached and bled. He stumbled out of the ditch. Dirt and leaves smeared across his clothes and caught in his hair. He needed to catch his horse before…

It was nowhere to be found. The sounds of the forest were gone. All was still. He had never heard such silence. It was unnatural.

Suddenly he heard a noise. Laughter. He swallowed the lump in his throat. Another laugh. Then all at once unearthly clamor approached. Glowing orbs lite their way casting a blue tinted light on them all. Mathew shrank back into the underbrush. He prayed they would pass him by.

The closer they got, the more details he could make out. He could not tear his eyes away, even as he trembled. The host was filled with revelers. They spun and sang freely. Some tossed fire above their heads. Others spun objects with chilling splatters running along their sharp points.

At the head of the procession there was a beast twice the height of any man that Mathew had ever seen. It had far more antlers than any moose or elk he had ever seen. Each one had a glowing bauble hanging from it. Its eyes were human. Upon its back a figure sat.

The rider was the fairest creature he had ever seen. It wore a dark red coat that spilled over the beasts’ sides and hung just above the ground. Upon the coat gold swirls shimmered among inlaid jewels. Its hair shone gold and silver in the lights. Its skin was pale and unblemished. Its eyes were bright green with pupils silted like a cats. In his arms Mathew recognized his own face fifteen years younger.

His heart jumped into his throat. He stood as they drew abreast to him. “I challenge you,” he screamed.

The creatures looked at him. Such a stare should have left him chilled to the bone, but his anger still burned hotly. The figure upon the beast laughed tonelessly at him. “Challenge me? Do you know to whom you speak? I am the King of the Fae. Upon which my empire, the sun never sets. Mortal, what right do you have to challenge me to anything?”

Mathew swallowed down his fear. He fought to keep his voice steady. “I have no right to challenge you to anything except this, you have stolen my brother. By right of blood, I challenge you for him.”

“For him?” The Fae King looked down at the child in his lap as if he had not noticed him until then. He reached down and tilted his upwards. “I am very fond of this one. He has such lovely blue eyes, for a mortal. What could you possibly offer me? Beating you will be a dull affair.”

“Whatever you want.” He could not stop his voice from wavering. Every childhood story he had been told had sought to warn him about the fair folk. The second most important thing to remember was that you should never offer the Fair Folk whatever they want. The cost is always too high, too cruel. The first thing was to never make a deal with them. But this was his other half, his twin. He’d lived too long in a house too quiet with an indescribable ache plaguing him like a missing limb. And this was his only chance.

The Kings’ pupils dilated. “Whatever I want. Well then. Let us strike a deal. When you loose I will have whatever I want from you.”

“And if I should win you will return Alfred to me immediately, whole and hale, and unaged. He will not crave your food or your touch and you will not steal him again.”

“You have some courage boy.” He said it like a threat and let it linger in Mathew’s ears. “Very well, should you win I will return your brother to you exactly how he was when he came to be in my care, whole and hale. He will not be compelled by me or mine. I won’t steal him again.”

“Agreed.”

“Now since you are the challenger, I will choose the task. Do you play the fiddle?” He continued without waiting for an answer. “I will judge who plays best.”

He slid from the beasts back leaving Alfred behind. One of the attendants came forward. They presented a fiddle to him. It was as black as night with intricate designs of gold. Its strings shone silver. It was by far the finest instrument Mathew had ever seen.

The Faerie King drew his bow across the strings. The music was ethereal. It touched every living thing in The Woods. Even the plants reached towards him like he was the sun. The King went through stanzas without hesitation. Each quick note was performed perfectly. His face remained cold and emotionless through it all.

The King finished with a flourish. His entourage celebrated his assumed victory. Their applause was made of winds howling, braying beasts, and ecstatic songs. The King took no note of them as he approached Mathew. His eyes nearly glowed as he set the fiddle in Mathew’s hands. He said no words.

The fiddle was cold to the touch and smooth like polished marble. The Fae King left him to sit upon a tree stump as if it was a throne. He pulled Alfred into his arms and began to toy with his hair. His surrounding subjects retrieved wine skins and food. They talked among themselves. Not a single one spared Mathew a glance. Except one, Alfred.

He looked within his brothers’ eyes. They were glazed over. It was like he wasn’t aware of what was going on around him. He moved sluggishly. It was so unlike the Alfred he remembered it stunned him.

Mathew didn’t know where to start. He had never heard of skill such as the Fae King had. He had felt the music in his bones. Mathew sighed. He supposed it didn’t matter. He gathered his strength, closed his eyes, and raised the bow. None of the fae mattered. This was all for Alfred.

He drew the bow across the strings and began to play.

Mathew hadn’t believed it when Alfred went missing. It had been such a normal day. They had seen no new nor unusual flowers. They had done no impressive tricks. Tragedies were meat to happen on cold dark days. They hadn’t even been in The Woods, just at its edge. Alfred had only been out of sight for a few moments. But it was enough.

Everything had changed. A creeping coldness settled into Mathew afterwards. Their mother had wasted away in her grief. Their Papa traveled far away to sell his wares and Mathew had been left alone to be raised by tutors. And Alfred had been left frozen in this creatures’ unfeeling arms.

Life had no pity for the heartbroken.

But it did not withhold its blessings either.

Papas’ successes meant that Mathew could study medicine. He had saved so many from the cold ground. He had met Katyusha. On days when despair over those he could not save and Alfred took him, she brought him back. It had been her who taught him to fiddle and now…

Alfred had so much to look forward to. He could play in their garden with Kumajiro. He would be loved and protected. He would grow up strong and brave. Someday he could go out into the world and see all it had to offer. He would find love and happiness. And he would bring it to others. Oh, there was so much to live for. So much waiting for him.

Mathews’ arms felt like lead. The Woods was quiet once more. He looked to the Fae King. 

The Fae Kings eyes were wide. “By the stars above. I’ve played for many centuries… You love him.” He swept his coat away as he rose with Alfred in his embrace. That host parted before him, cowering away from him and from Mathew. “A deal is a deal.”

His eyes were cold as he placed Alfred in Mathews’ arms. His brothers’ little fingers dug into his arms. He was shaking. Mathew pulled off his coat and bundled him into it.

The Fae King waved his arm and a new beast emerged from the host. Its long hair fades from brown to green as it sweeps along the discarded leaves. Its many eyes looked at Mathew with disinterest. “Here, this one will take you to your home safely. You have my word. These woods can be dangerous.”

Mathew climbed onto the beast. The King reached out. His hand hovered in the air for a moment. Then he swept aside Alfred’s fringe. He pressed a kiss to his forehead. It was a lingering gesture that Mathew did not want to witness.

The beast began to move with no prompting. Its muscles moved underneath Mathew’s legs in a way he had never felt upon a horse. He did not look behind him. He heard the host take up their revelry once more. Then their chatter was abruptly gone. The noise of The Wood returned. There was no nearby rustling in the bushes, but he could hear the bugs and frogs in the distance. It was like they knew danger still lingered in the dark.

Alfred squirmed. Then he began to cry. Mathew tried to comfort him. He murmured assurances. Then words of love. But his cries just grow louder. In desperation Mathew began to hum an old lullaby he can barely remember. Ever so slightly his crying quieted, occasional whimpers still escaping his pursed lips. Mathew held him close, tucking Alfred’s head under his chin.

As soon as they are out of The Woods, he jumped off the beasts back. He never looked behind. Within a few feet of the house the door flew open.

“Mathew, what happened? The horse came back hours ago!” Tears are running down Katyusha’s face. Her pale hair is a mess and her clothes are wrinkled. He hasn’t seen her like this since years ago when she spent the night pacing beside her brothers’ sick bed. She went to embrace him but drew back when she saw the red rimmed blue eyes looking back at her. Alfred flinched back into Mathew’s chest whimpering. Katyusha hurriedly wiped the tear tracks on her face. “Who is this?”

“This is Alfred.” He said it timidly because it is all he can say. He watched her but can’t place the emotions that fly across her face.

“Alfred?” She knows the name. She knows the story. She can see the resemblance. “I see then.” She smiled and stepped aside to let them into the house.” Let me get you two something to eat and then I’ll start working on some new clothes for him in the morning.”

Alfred moved gingerly when Mathew sat him down at the table. Mathew smiled softly at him as Katyusha moved about the kitchen. Songs came as naturally and sweet to her lips as they always do. Alfred’s eyes followed her for a few minutes. Once a plate was before him, he ate. At first it was slow but he quickly began to devour it all. As he does, he looks eagerly on everything around him and Mathew could see his appetite for life sparking in his eyes.

**Author's Note:**

> There’s also a short story that I used for inspiration that I think is by Holly Black. I can’t find it right now but regardless you should totally read her books if you like modern faerie tales and the fae. 
> 
> I also left a loophole in England’s deal, as there often is in deals with the fae, in case I wanted to do a follow up and also bc that seems on brand for the fae.


End file.
